Potty Training: Do's and Don'ts

I have a confession to make.

I don't like dogs.

Part of the reason is because I was bit by a couple of dogs when I was a kid.

So I guess I should amend the previous statement.

I am afraid of dogs.

But I know that without that fear of dogs, I would never own one.  The main reason being is picking up poop!  I know that if I had to clean up a dogs poop I would have to clean up my own vomit as well.

I have a very weak stomach.

So I hear people who know me say "Don't you own a cat? How does your cat's litter get changed?"

Answer: Yes I do own a cat and a really long pooper-scooper! If I could find longer ones I would. Sometimes for really bad litters I just dump the whole thing out and start fresh again.

Which brings me to today's blog post topic.

Potty Training.

This was by far the "milestone" I was least looking forward to. Our daughter was 2 so I started "training" her.

Another truth moment just to let you know where my head was at during this "training period":

When our daughter was a baby for some reason all her poops smelled like BBQ Chicken to me, I didn't eat BBQ Chicken for 8 months!!

But I digress.

After 6 months of trial and error and error and error and even more error (see below).  My wife not so nicely told me that this was ridiculous and that our daughter should be potty trained by now!!

So I did the guy thing.

For a whole week I made charts and notes of all the times she went pee and poo. Trying to time it.

By the way this is a potty training DON'T!

I then did some research, and discovered some amazing videos which helped (me) our daughter.

These videos are designed to reinforce to your child what you are trying to do; listen to their body and being a big kid.

Video Titles:

"Potty Power!"

"Go Potty Go" (still got the song from this one in my head)

"Potty Time"

"Potty Perfect"

"It's Potty Time"

and many many more.  Check out your local library for all the potty training movies and books you can get. I know you will find some which will help you and your child.

Watch potty movies with your child are Potty DO'S!!

With my new found enthusiasm from the videos I decided to put her on the potty chair with a book and a couple of toys, (me with my iPad beside her) and wait it out. 5 minutes passed. NOTHING. 10 minutes passed. NOTHING. 15 minutes passed. NOTHING. So I was getting bored and she was getting hungry so I took her off. 5 minutes later... PEE!

My take from this was 20 minutes is the key!

It isn't the key.  I'm an idiot.

Putting child on potty chair hoping to force pee...  is a potty DON'T.

So while I am making no progress and my wife is getting more and more frustrated with my progress, I decided to go back to the experts again. THE INTERNET!!

I went to BabyCenter.ca and read their potty training tips. (http://www.babycenter.ca/potty-traininng) I also went to the Mayo Clinic and read their advice: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/potty-training/CC00060. Then I went to Today's Parent and read what they had to say. (http://www.todaysparent.com/toddler/potty-training-toddlers) and after I was done I thought I had enough information to get my child potty trained.

Doing internet research and getting more information before or while you are trying are Potty DO'S.

So with my head full of all this new information,the only thing that really stuck out in my head was... kids don't like the wet sensation of pee.

So I had the brilliant idea of putting regular "big girl" panties UNDER her diaper.  Hoping that the wet sensation would cure my daughter of the need for diapers.

I don't think I even have to tell you this.  But this was a potty DON'T.

So I literally went back to the drawing board and decided to do the reward system.  Some people do M&M's, toys, stickers. stamps, cookies, anything that works.

I started with stamps: 1 for pee and 2 for poo.

Using a reward systems for potty training successes is a Potty DO.

So how did we eventually get out daughter potty trained?

Truth of the matter is it took both of us (My wife was off for a week at Christmas time) working together on potty training for a week, watching potty movies, giving stickers for every time she dropped even a drop of pee in the potty, and it was done.

So I guess when it comes to Potty training there are a lot of DO'S and a lot more DON'TS, just remember this: Do DO'S, don't do DON'TS.